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Michael Joseph informs NW churches of Colombia

By Ed Evans

Global Ministries mission co-worker Michael Joseph will be visiting churches in the Pacific Northwest Region and Conference Sept. 14 to 30. He is hosted by the Pacific NW Global Ministries Committee, which is developing a partnership with the Colombia peace organization Justapaz.

Michael Joseph has served 12 years in Colombia, where the NW Disciples and PNC Global Ministries Committee is developing a partnership with the peace organization Justapaz. Photo courtesy of Global Ministries

He has been serving in Colombia on behalf of Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church Disciples of Christ for the past 12 years.

As he ends his service in Bogota, Michael will visit churches across the UCC Pacific Northwest Conference and Disciples Northwest Region to share stories about his work and experiences with peacemaking organizations in Colombia. The Global Ministries Committee has been recruiting volunteers to host housing, provide transportation and offer invitations to speak.

Michael has been working as the coordinator of the CaféPaz Peace Studies Center in Bogota, Colombia, in partnership with Justapaz, an important peacemaking organization.  His work has focused on conflict transformation, restorative justice and human rights in the midst of Colombia’s armed conflict. 

Justapaz, which means a just peace, was created by the Colombian Mennonite Church in response to violence and injustice across Colombia. 

It was and continues to be, a necessary religious response from the church. Justapaz focuses on the practical training of like-minded churches, communities and individuals in the practice of non-violence.  It seeks to enable the creation of structures and ways of life it believes can ultimately lead to real peace in Colombia.

Michael brings knowledge and experience with peacemaking efforts in Colombia. He will provide updated information about the progress, or lack thereof, of implementation of the Colombian Peace Accords adopted by a vote of the people in 2016.

Quoting Cornel West, Michael writes in his Global Ministries profile, “To be a Christian is to live dangerously, honestly, freely—to step in the name of love as if you may land on nothing, yet to keep stepping because the something that sustains you no empire can give you and no empire can take away.”

The Global Ministries Committee, a shared ministry of the Pacific NW Conference of the United Church of Christ and the Northwest Region of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ is exploring the possibility of forming a partnership with Justapaz, the Christian Centre for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action in Colombia.

Members of the Pacific NW Global Ministries Committee have been participating in the Colombia partnership calls.

Martin Nates, Justapaz executive director, said during a Colombia partnership conference call April 30, that implementation of the Peace Accords has not been going well.  He said 2018 was the most violent year in recent years with 155 killings of community leaders, members of social organizations, human rights defenders and people associated with the peace process. The killings have been orchestrated by military and paramilitary organizations.

The 2016 Peace Accords had brought an end to decades of war and upheaval with the country’s main rebel group agreeing to lay down their arms.  However, New York Times reporter Nicholas Casey reports that the militants are beginning to pick up their arms again after many of the promises made by the government are not being honored making the prospect of a true, lasting peace appearing far from certain now. (NY Times: “Colombia’s Peace Deal Promised a New Era. So Why Are These Rebels Rearming?” May 17, 2019.) 

When the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, reached a peace agreement in September, 2016 after years of negotiation, much of the world applauded.  Colombia’s president at the time, Juan Manuel Santos, won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Casey reported in the May 17 article that the head of Colombia’s army had recently ordered troops to double the number of criminals they kill. Two days after publication of the article, Casey left the country telling Colombian newspaper El Tiempo he left following “false accusations” published by lawmakers on Twitter. He said such accusations are serious due to the lack of security and safety in Colombia for journalists.

With that as a backdrop and in the midst of such rising tensions, it has become increasingly apparent for the need for church to walk alongside and be in partnership with peace making organizations like Justapaz and CaféPaz in their journey towards reconciliation.

Partnership can provide a broader understanding of the many ways in which God is at work in the world and challenges people of faith to expand their vision of the church in order to help make a just world for all. 

To volunteer to provide housing and/or transportation for Michael, along with invitations to speak during his visit to the region, contact Ruth Brandon at arembe@me.com

For more information on Colombian peace initiatives through the Global Ministries Caribbean Initiative:  https://www.globalministries.org/caribbeaninitiative.

 

Pacific NW United Church News copyright © Fall 2019

 

 

 

 

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